Straight Reading from the Library: Legacy of Luck by Christy Nicholas

This review is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christy Nicholas will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC or a copy of Legacy of Hunger, book 1 in the series to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

Irish Traveler Éamonn loves gambling, women, and drinking, not necessarily in that order. But he’s entangled in a true mess when he falls for fiery redhead, Katie. When she’s married to a Scottish Traveler, Éamonn travels to Scotland to find her, with the help of Katie’s sister and cousin, and the magical brooch gifted by his father. Their quest takes them across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Skye, encountering war, betrayal, death. In the end, Éamonn must make his own luck.

READ THE REVIEW

First, I want to say that I love Ireland and have a special pull towards anything Irish. And, I absolutely love the cover-- it's beautiful!

It was interesting to read the book and to learn a bit more about the Irish and Scottish Travelers. I do wish more emphasis had been put on the brooch and the gift from the fae. I also would have liked to see more about the father, his book is part of a series, so it's possible one of the other books touched on this. The book can definitely be read alone. I will be looking for the other books in the series to hopefully learn more about the magical brooch.

I also wish the book had spent a little more time developing the characters. I never felt like I really got to know them very well-- part of that was because the book's focus was on the adventure and trials of Eamonn trying to find Katie once she's married. It was a bit hard to believe that he would fall so hard so quickly for a girl he barely knew, and some of his actions later in the book (trying to avoid spoilers) disappointed me.

But, saying that, the book was a very interesting read. The author wrote well and the book kept my attention to the extent I wanted to know what happened next. I would definitely read other books by this author. 3.5 stars.

READ AN EXCERPT

Éamonn paced the stall, digging a trench in the mud with his anxious footsteps. What could he offer? His family had some wealth, but a horse remained an expensive commodity. They had two work mares to pull the wagons, but nowhere near the same class as the grey stallion. Ciaran had a beautifully tooled saddle, a piece they put out in front of the booth to draw customers in. But what use would it be to a man who had no horse?

He went to find his father.

After a speedy explanation, Turlough shook his head.

“I don’t know, son. Our wealth is our music, not our coin. I don’t suppose the fact you love the girl has much weight with her father?”

“She says no. He doesn’t seem to have much affection for either girl, from what I’ve seen.”

“How about arranging a deal with the MacCrimmon lad? Convince him to back out of the deal? After all, who wants to marry a girl whose heart is already given to someone else? It is just the heart, is it not?” Turlough narrowed his eyes at his son, knowing full well his reputation with the ladies.

“Yes, Da. We’ve not even kissed yet. I swear. Da, she doesn’t even know which brother it is! If it’s Lochlann, there may be a chance. He seems a decent sort, despite all. But Donald—”

“This is a right fine mess, no doubt. Here, let’s go approach Lochlann.”

“Can… I don’t think I’ll be much help with him after that night at the dice ring—”

“No, I’ll not do this for you. Perhaps it will make you realize your actions have consequences. I will come with you, though.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

My name is Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon. I do many things, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing and photography. In real life I'm a CPA, but having grown up with art and around me (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected me, as it were. I love to draw and to create things. It's more of an obsession than a hobby. I like looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or a fragrant blossom, a dramatic seaside. I then wish to take a picture or create a piece of jewelry to share this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others. Sometimes this sharing requires explanation – and thus I write. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. I do local art and craft shows, as well as sending my art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.

Website: www.greendragonartist.net
Blog: www.greendragonartist.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greendragonauthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greendragonartist

Publisher Page: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Nicholas_Christy/index.htm

The book is on sale for only $0.99 at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Straight Chatting From the Library: Christy Nicholas

Christy Nicholas is visiting The Library today as part of her virtual book tour---she's giving one randomly chosen commenter a $20 Amazon Gift Card. You can see the rest of her stops here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/07/name-before-masses-ireland-mythical.html.

Thanks for stopping by The Library. Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

It is a guide on Mystical Ireland Travel.

What are you reading right now?

The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries, by W. Y. Evans-Wentz, in research for my new book on Scotland travel.

E-Reader or print? and why?

I prefer print, but I am adapting because I don’t have to carry the book around – and it doesn’t get dog-eared and beat up. I also like audiobooks, as I can listen to them while I walk or drive.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

Dog-ear for paperbacks… but only if I own the book; bookmarks for hard covers, always. I have a lovely collection of them from Ireland with Celtic knotwork on them!

Favorite book you've read this year?

Bernard Cornwell's Death of Kings – the 6th of his Saxon Tales books.

Favorite place to read?

At home, curled up on the couch, with the rain pouring.

Favorite genre?

I switch between historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. I like when all three are combined, like in Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

How do you keep your books organized?

By genre, and then alphabetically by author. I have a history section, a myth section, a fiction section, etc. Like any good library should!

What would make you not finish a book?

No sense of humor in the author or the characters, or endless proselytizing. I couldn’t finish Dune for both these reasons.

Keep books or give them away?

Both? I have several copies of my favorites so I can lend, but I rarely expect them back. I always try to keep a copy of my favorites. However, when I was getting ready to move to another state, I did a huge clean out of my library – I gave away over 1500 books to friends or the Friends of the Library Group. I still have about 200, but they are all either collectibles, reference, or my favorites.

About the Author:

My name is Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon. I do many things, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing and photography. In real life I'm a CPA, but having grown up with art and around me (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected me, as it were. I love to draw and to create things. It's more of an obsession than a hobby. I like looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or a fragrant blossom, a dramatic seaside. I then wish to take a picture or create a piece of jewelry to share this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others. Sometimes this sharing requires explanation – and thus I write. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. I do local art and craft shows, as well as sending my art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.

Find Christy here:

www.GreenDragonArtist.com
www.facebook.com/greendragon9
www.twitter.com/greendragon9
Find Christy’s book here, and at other eBook stores: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Nicholas_Christy/ireland-guide.htm

Do you find yourself drawn to the magic of the Emerald Isle? Would you like to see places beyond the typical tourist traps? Come, join me on a journey through the mists of legend, into the hidden places of mystery. Immerse yourself in the legends and myths, the history that has made this island precious in the hearts and minds of millions. Along with the tales and history, there is practical information on planning your trip, budgeting your costs, and finding the best places to while away the magical hours of your holiday.